Take-out arbor for a strip accumulator

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a strip accumulator for use in a continuous process line. According to the method and apparatus disclosed, no matter what the width of the strip of material, it can be fed into the accumulator with one edge thereof against a guide and yet all strip will exit the accumulator with the center line thereof maintained in line with the processing equipment, thereby obviating the need for either adjusting the position of the feed to the accumulator or the position of the processing line equipment. The material is fed into an outer basket or coil of strip, loops around to an inner basket or coil of strip, and then spirals around a take-out arbor before exiting to the process line. The angle of the mounting of the take-out arbor can be adjusted to maintain the center line of the strip in line with the processing equipment. In addition, the arbor is provided with a series of guide rollers which assure a smooth movement in a helical path over the arbor and then out of the accumulator.

United States Patent Costello et al.

TAKE-OUT ARBOR FOR A STRIP ACCUMULATOR Filed:

Inventors: Anthony C. Costello, Strongsville;

Leon L. Shaffer, Kent; Robert G. Weatherby, Franklin, all of OhioAssignee: Loopco Industries, Inc., Twinsburg,

Ohio

Mar. 28, 1974 Appl. No.: 454,956

US. Cl 242/55; 242/55.l9 R; 242/78.l Int. Cl B65h 75/02; B65h 17/48Field of Search 242/55, 55.18, 55.19 R,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary ExaminerEdward J.McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hamilton, Renner & Kenner [57]ABSTRACT Disclosed is a strip accumulator for use in a continuousprocess line. According to the method and apparatus disclosed, no matterwhat the width of the strip of material, it can be fed into theaccumulator with one edge thereof against a guide and yet all strip willexit the accumulator with the center line thereof maintained in linewith the processing equipment, thereby obviating the need for eitheradjusting the position of the feed to the accumulator or the position ofthe processing line equipment. The material is fed into an outer basketor coil of strip, loops around to an inner basket or coil of strip, andthen spirals around a take-out arbor before exiting to the process line.The angle of the mounting of the take-out arbor can be adjusted tomaintain the center line of the strip in line with the processingequipment. In addition, the arbor is providedwith a series of guiderollers which assure a smooth movement in a helical path over the arborand then out of the accumulator.

17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED W27 i975 SHEET SHEET PATENTED MAY2 7 i975 TAKE-OUT ARBOR FOR A STRIP ACCUMULATOR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a strip accumulator for use in acontinuous processing line wherein minimal adjustments are necessary touse the accumulator for strip materials of varying widths. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to an accumulator having anangularly mounted take-out arbor, the angularity of which is adjustableto perform the method of maintaining the center line of all sizes ofstrip at the same position as it exits the accumulator to the processingline.

Many industrial processing lines utilize a strip material, such as ametallic strip material, as an input and require that the strip becontinually fed thereto. As a practical matter, the strip is payed outfrom a coil until depleted. Because it would be highly undesirable tostop the processing line upon each depletion of a coil, stripaccumulators, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,210, have beendeveloped to receive strip from the input coil and hold or store aquantity of the same while at the same time paying out strip so held tothe processing line. Such accumulators are thus intended to permit theprocessing line to remain active during the time a new input coil isattached, as by welding, to the end of a coil which has just beendepleted.

Often times it is possible that the processing line will utilize stripsof varying widths throughout the normal working day or week. When achange of strip width is desired, using prior art accumulators of whichwe are aware, a major alignment problem exists. Essentially all stripprocessing lines are designed to receive strip material along the centerline of the width thereof. Thus, the strip which exits the accumulatormust exit at a point such that the center line of the width of the stripis in line with the processing equipment. In order to accomplish thisrequirement, prior art accumulators dictate that the strip be fedthereto from the coil with the center line of the width of the coil atthe proper position so that the strip will exit aligned with theprocessing equipment. This requires complex adjustments of the positionof the coil each and every time the coil width is changed to assure thatthe coil is properly centered with respect to the accumulator. Whileadjustable uncoilers are available for this purpose, they are quiteexpensive and often prove difficult and time consuming to properlyadjust.

Many processing lines utilize an uncoiler with a strip gu de againstwhich an edge of the strip is placed to guide the strip into theaccumulator. In these instances, utilizing presently existingaccumulators, the strip is not properly centered as it leaves theaccumulator and certain centering adjustments must be made. Machinesespecially designed to center the strip are available, at some cost, orthe processing line can be separated some distance from the accumulatorand uncoiler and the strip is permitted to twist and form a sag loopprior to entering the line to properly center the same. Thesealternative methods of centering the strip are undesirable for a numberof reasons. First, additional valuable floor space is always necessaryin that the line is spread significantly. Next, additional centering andguiding equipment is required. And finally, these alternate systems ofcentering do not always perform efficiently particularly where highspeed or incremental hitcli feeding is involved, as is most often thecase.

Still other problems exist in the manner in which strip is removed frompresently existing accumulators such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,506,210. In these types of machines, strip is accumulated with outerand inner convolutions which are separated by a loop which orbitsbetween the two sets of convolutions. Strip is transferred from theinner loop, around an arbor or pay-off roll, and on to the processingline. However, because the strip is moving at quite high speeds, itrarely tracks properly around the pay-off roll causing adverse twistingor other deformation of the strip and also hingering the preciseplacement of the strip upon exiting the accumulator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION the strip being fed to the accumulator becentered accordingly.

It is a related object of the present invention to provide anaccumulator, as above, which may receive strip of varying widths fromcoils without requiring adjustment of the position of a coil when achange in strip width is desired.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an accumulator,as above, with a take-off arbor which is angularly mounted with respectto the path of the strip, the angularity of the mounting beingadjustable to place the center of the strip properly in line with theprocessing equipment.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide anaccumulator, as above, with a take-off arbor over and around which thestrip will properly track during its route out of the accumulator.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anaccumulator, as above, which can be used in a high speed stripprocessing line without requiring extraneous strip centering equipmentand utilizing a minimal amount of floor space.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a methodof accumulating strip material whereby strip of any width may be fed tothe accumulator aligned at a single reference point, yet will exit theaccumulator aligned with the processing line.

These and other objects of the present invention which will becomeapparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by theimprovements hereinafter described and claimed.

in general, a strip accumulator for use in a processing line includes aplurality of outer rolls which receive strip material and form outerconvolutions thereof and a plurality of inner rolls which receive stripfrom the outerconvolutions to form inner convolutions .of strip. Thestrip is then transferred from the inner rolls to and around a take-outarbor which is angularly mounted with respect to the path of the stripmaterial. The strip can be guided into the accumulator by means of anedge alignment device establishing a reference point but due to theangularity of the mounting of the arbor, it leaves the accumulator withthe center line of the width of the strip properly in line with theprocessing equipment. When a different width strip is to be used by theprocessing line, it too is guided into the accumulator at the samereference point by means of the same edge aligning device but becausethe angularity of the arbor may be adjusted, it too leaves theaccumulator properly centered. In addition, so that the strip ofwhatever width properly tracks over and around the arbor, it is providedwith a series of discontinuous roll clusters mounted in a generallyhelical path around the arbor to guide the strip thereover.

Thus, according to the method of the present inven- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a stripaccumulator according to the concept of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the end of the take-out arbor shownschematically in FIG. 1 and taken perpendicular to the axis of thetake-out arbor.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the take-out arbor taken substantiallyalong line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view of the take-out arbor depicting itsuse with two strips of differing widths.

FIG. 5 is a detailed plan view of one roll cluster shown on the arbor inFIGS. 2 and 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An accumulator having the novelfeatures according to the present invention is depicted schematically inFIG. 1 and indicated generally by the numeral 10. In its preferred form,accumulator is of the type depicted in detail in US. Pat. No. 3,506,210,to which reference is made for whatever details might be necessary tofully understand the environment of the present invention; however, theinvention described herein is capable of utilization in many types ofaccumulating devices, all of which are well known in the art.

Accumulator 10 receives strip S, which may be of any material and gauge,but which is generally a metallic material, from an uncoiler (not shown)which carries a coil of the strip S. Usually the uncoiler or otherdevice includes an alignment device, such as an edge guide shownschematically in FIG. 1, for presenting the strip S to the accumulatorat a particular position or reference point. While the accumulator 10 ofthe present invention can advantageously receive strip of any width withonly one edge thereof aligned against 'the guide, it is to be understoodthat the strip S may also be fed to the accumulator centered, if that isdesired.

Accumulator 10 includes a base or face member 11 which in its preferredform is generally vertically upstanding, but which could be tilted oreven horizontally oriented, to carry the remaining structures of theaccu mulator. A plurality of drive wheels 12, when activated, pull thestrip S from the uncoiler and into the accumulator. The strip istransferred past guide and support rollers 13, which may also be drivenor which may be driven instead of wheels 12, to form an outer loop ofstrip material, the outer edge of which is defined by a plurality ofouter basket rollers 14. The material travels around the outer basketrollers 14 and forms a free loop 15 as it is turned toward a series ofrollers 16 which together form an inner basket or loop of stripmaterial. In order to perform its storing function, the speed of thestrip S into the accumulator 10 is generally faster than the speed ofthe strip out of the accumulator to the processing line. Thus, outerconvolutions 18 of strip S are accumulated with strip being continuallyfed to the outside thereof, and inner convolutions 19 of strip 5 areaccumulated by receiving strip from the inside of the outer convolutions18 by means of the orbiting of loop 15. Upon demand from the processingline. which demand is almost always continual, the strip on the insideof the inner convolution 19 is transferred around a take-out arborassembly, generally directed by the numeral 20, and guided by rollers 21to the processing line. Regardless of the manner in which the strip isfed to the accumulator 10, that is, regardless of whether it is centeredor placed against the edge guide. because of the construction of thearbor 20, to be described below, the strip will exit accumulator 10 at areference point different than the reference point established by theedge guide, preferably centered to be received directly by theprocessing line.

The details of the take-out arbor assembly are best shown in FIGS. 2 and3. A support bracket 23 has an upstanding flange 24 fixed to face member11 and a rearwardly extending flange 25 with angular support braces 26therebetween. Flange 25 has an aperture therein which receives a pivotpin 28. An arbor support member 29 is carried by and is rotatable onpivot pin 28 and extends through a slot or other suitable aperture 30 inface member 11. Arbor support member 29 terminates at its inner end as atongue 31 over which is fitted and welded the arbor body indicatedgenerally by the numeral 32. Arbor body 32 is a generally hollow memberhaving a cylindrical inner surface 33 (FIG. 4) which forms a socket forand engages and is welded to tongue 31. The outer surface 34 of arbor 32is generally polygonal in nature having, in the form shown, thirteengenerally flat surfaces lettered A through M, inclusive, best shown inFIG. 2.

The front of arbor body 32 is provided with a circular support plate 35which is fitted within and fixed to cylindrical surface 33 of body 32.An adjustment support plate 36 is bolted or otherwise affixed to plate35 and carries the adjustment assembly indicated generally by thenumeral 40. A yoke 41 carries a pin 42 which has a threaded radial bore43 therethrough. Bore 43 receives the threaded portion 44 of anadjusting bolt 45 having a head 46 which rests against a block 48. Bolt45 extends slidably through block 48 with the relative position of theblock 48 and bolt 45 being maintained by a lock collar 49.

Block 48 is rotatably carried on an angle iron 50 which is supported bystructural framework (not shown) of accumulator 30. A pin 51 which iswelded or otherwise affixed to block 48 extends through angle iron 50and has, at its lower end, a threaded nipple 52 to receive nut 53 whichis tightened against collar 54 that forms a bearing surface for nut 53.

As will hereinafter be described in more detail, rotation of bolt 45will pull or push pin 42 along the bolts threaded portion 44 to pivotthe arbor body 32 on pin 28. Of course, at the same time block 48 andpin 51 will rotate accordingly to prevent adverse binding of the bolt45.

In order to guide the strip material spirally around arbor assembly 20,a series of roll clusters, each indicated generally by the numeral 60,are provided and mounted on arbor surfaces 34A through 34L, inclusive,in a spiral or helical fashion as shown in FIG. 3. Each roll cluster 60can be identical, with the construction thereof being best shown in FIG.5 as including a series of idler rolls 61A, 61B, 61C and 61D. While thenumber and size of the rolls 61 in each cluster is not critical to thisinvention, a plurality of rolls is necessary for wider strips, at leastover two inches in width and it has been found that three or four rollsof approximately 4 inches in diameter and two inches wide willadequately serve to guide medium gauged strip material of widths atleast up to l2 inches. Each roll 61 has an axle 62 with the axle or roll61A being received by the upstanding branch 63 of an angular end bracket64, the second branch 65 of which is attached as by bolt 66 to an arborsurface 34. Between rolls 61A and 61 B, rolls 61B and 61C and rolls 61Cand 61D there is provided an intermediate angular bracket 68. Eachbracket 68 includes an upstanding branch 69 and a second angular branch70 which is attached to arbor surface 34 as by bolts 71. Each upstandingbranch 69 is adapted to receive two axles 62 for the rolls 61 adjacentthereto. An angular end bracket 72 includes an upstanding branch 73which receives the axle 62 of roll 61D and a second branch 74 which isattached to arbor surface 34, as by bolt 75. Thrust washers 76 can beprovided between each bracket 64, 68 and 72 and their adjacent rolls 61Athrough 61D, inclusive to permit facile rotation of the rolls on axles62.

The manner in which the roll clusters 60 are mounted on arbor surfaces34 is important to the guidance of the strip material around arbor 32.As shown in FIG. 5, bolts 66, 71 and 75 lie in a line 80 which isparallel to the axis of arbor 32. A plane, going through the axis ofarbor 32 and the line defined by bolts 66, 71 and 75 would beperpendicular to the plane of the surface 34 to which the roll cluster60 is mounted. The axis of the rolls 61 is, however, angular to the linedefined by bolts 66, 71 and 75 an angular to the axis of the arbor 32.This angle, a in FIG. 5, is, in the form shown, ll, minutes, which isdesigned as such so as to accommodate a wide range of widths of stripmaterial, as will hereinafter be explained.

As best shown in FIG. 3, roll clusters 60 are mounted on surfaces 34 ofarbor 32 in a manner such that the generally helical path of the stripmaterial is approximated. Although there are thirteen surfaces 34Athrough 34M, fourteen roll clusters 60 are necessary with surface 34Areceiving two clusters 60 as shown in the bottom plan view, FIG. 3, andthe remaining surfaces 348 through 34M each carrying one cluster 60. Forexpediency, the details of the clusters 60, such as the brackets and thelike, are shown only for the clusters on surface 34A, it beingunderstood that all clusters would be identical to that shown in FIG. 5.Thus, as strip S approaches arbor 32 (from the left in FIG. 3), it firstcontacts cluster 60A on surface 34A then cluster 60B on surface 348 andon over clusters 60C through 60M, inclusive, and exits accumulator 10after passing over cluster 60A, the second cluster on surface 34A.

As previously described, the arbor 32 is normally angularly mounted withrespect to the face 11 of accumulator 10. This permits the strip to movein the generally helical path thereover. The amount of this angle, B inFIGS. 3 and 4, determines the pitch of the helix such that if a largerangle B is provided, the pitch of the helix will be larger and the stripS will move axially further along arbor 32.

If the strip is provided to the accumulator 10 and therefore arbor 32with a fixed edge regardless of the width of the strip, by adjusting theangle B, the strip can be made to leave the arbor 32 with the centerline thereof fixed regardless of the width. It has been found, forexample, that with an angle B of about l0, (9, 55 minutes and 43 secondsto be precise) strip of a width of 10 inches, as shown in the solidlines of FIG. 4, will be centered as it exits an arbor having aneffective diameter, that is, the diameter of the arbor body 32 and rollclusters 60, of 24 inches, which diameter is a function of strip gauge.If the same arbor were to be used for 4 inch strip, as shown in thechain lines in FIG. 4, the angle B would be increased to about 12l 4 or,more precisely, 12, 15 minutes and 6 seconds. This will center the stripby enlarging the pitch of the helix to enable the center of the 4 inchstrip to move 3 inches farther down the arbor than the center of the 10inch strip, which is necessary to maintain coincidence of the centerlines out.

Because it is desirable that the axis of the rollers 61 be generallyperpendicular to the path of the strip, that is, that the rollers 61 begenerally aligned with the strip, the angle a should be designed andselected according to the range of strip which might be used in aparticular accumulator and therefore within the range of the B angles.Thus, in the situation presented herein, angle a was selected to be I 1,15 minutes which would be acceptable for the four to ten inch stripwidths shown in FIG. 4. While it is understood that only when the anglea equals the angle B, such as is shown in FIG. 3, will the strip beperfectly aligned with the rollers 61, a permissible range of a fewdegrees of tilt of rollers 61 can be tolerated, as long as the rollersare approximately aligned with the incoming strip.

As shown in FIG. 4, as the strip S approaches any of the roll clustersit will first contact roller 61A then sequentially rollers 61B, 61C and61D of each cluster and because of the angle B of the arbor 32 and thesequence of precisely positioned roll clusters, it will follow thehelical path to move out to the processing equipment. Although the arborassembly 20 described herein is particularly useful in situations wherethe strip is edge guided thereto and centered by arbor 32 because of theadjustment of angle B, it should be apparent that the apparatusdescribed herein will also operate satisfactorily if the strip werecentered as it approached arbor 32 or even fixed in location by meansother than an edge guide.

It should thus be evident that an accumulator constructed according tothe invention herein will substantially improve the art by permittingits use with wide varieties of strip widths with only minimaladjustments thereby meeting the objects of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for accumulating strip material in a processing linecomprising means receiving the strip and forming an outer set ofconvolutions of the strip, means receiving strip from the outer set ofconvolutions and forming an inner set of convolutions of the strip, andarbor means receiving strip from the inner set of convolutions beforethe strip is transferred to the processing line, said arbor means havingan axis which is angular to the path of the strip as received from theinner set of convolutions, and means to adjust the angularity of theaxis of said arbor means with respect to the path of the strip tomaintain the strip in line with the processing line.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said arbor means is pivotallymounted on one end thereof and said means to adjust the angularity ofthe axis of said arbor means includes a bolt, the rotation of whichpivots said arbor means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means to adjust theangularity of the axis of said arbor means is located at the other endof said arbor means and further includes a threaded pin, and means forcarrying said pin, said bolt threadably engaging said pin to pivot saidarbor means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means to guide oneedge of the strip material prior to the formation of said outer set ofconvolutions.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the processing line is adaptedto receive strip at the center of the width thereof, and said means toadjust the angularity of the axis to the arbor means positions the stripwith the center of the width thereof in line with the processing line.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said arbor means has agenerally polygonal outer surface and further comprising roll clustermeans on said polygonal outer surface to guide the strip around saidouter surface of said arbor means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said generally polygonal outersurface includes a plurality of flat planar surfaces, at least one saidroll cluster means being mounted on each said planar surface to form ahelical path for the strip.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said generally polygonal outersurface includes at least thirteen planar surfaces, a first of saidplanar surfaces receiving two of said roll cluster means and theremaining of said planar surfaces receiving one said roll cluster means,said roll cluster means being mounted on said planar surfaces to definea helix starting with one of said roll cluster means on said first ofsaid planar surfaces and ending with the other of said roll clustermeans on said first of said planar surfaces.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said roll cluster meansincludes a plurality of rollers having an axis which is angular to theaxis of said arbor means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the angle of the axis of saidarbor means with respect to the path of the strip material is such thatthe path of the strip material is substantially perpendicular to theaxis of said rollers.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means to adjust theangularity of the axis of the arbor means is capable of moving said axisfrom a first angle to a second angle and the axis of said rollers withrespect to the axis of said arbor means is at a third angle lyingbetween said first and second angles.

12. A take-out arbor for receiving strip material in a stripaccumulator, comprising a body member, means to mount said body memberon a pivot point, and means to pivot said body member on said pivotpoint.

13. A take-out arbor according to claim 12 further comprising rollcluster means mounted on said arbor body in a generally helical path toguide the strip material around said arbor body.

14. A take-out arbor according to claim 13 wherein said body member isgenerally cylindrical having an axis and a generally polygonal outersurface, and said roll cluster means includes a plurality of rollerseach having an axis which is angular to the axis of said body member.

15. A method of accumulating strip material in an accumulator for use bya processing line which receives the strip material at a first referencepoint comprising the steps of, feeding the strip material to theaccumulator at a second reference point which is the same regardless ofthe width of the strip material. forming inner and outer convolutions ofthe strip material, and transferring the strip material from theconvolutions to the processing line at the first reference point.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the first reference point isthe center line of the width of the strip material and the secondreference point is one edge of the strip material,

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein the accumulator includes atake-out arbor and the step of transferring includes the step of movingthe strip material around the arbor in a generally helical path to movethe strip from the second reference point to the first reference point.

1. Apparatus for accumulating strip material in a processing linecomprising means receiving the strip and forming an outer set ofconvolutions of the strip, means receiving strip from the outer set ofconvolutions and forming an inner set of convolutions of the strip, andarbor means receiving strip from the inner set of convolutions beforethe strip is transferred to the processing line, said arbor means havingan axis which is angular to the path of the strip as received from theinner set of convolutions, and means to adjust the angularity of theaxis of said arbor means with respect to the path of the strip tomaintain the strip in line with the processing line.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said arbor means is pivotally mounted onone end thereof and said means to adjust the angularity of the axis ofsaid arbor means includes a bolt, the rotation of which pivots saidarbor means.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means toadjust the angularity of the axis of said arbor means is located at theother end of said arbor means and further includes a threaded pin, andmeans for carrying said pin, said bolt threadably engaging said pin topivot said arbor means.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 furthercomprising means to guide one edge of the strip material prior to theformation of said outer set of convolutions.
 5. Apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein the processing line is adapted to receive strip at thecenter of the width thereof, and said means to adjust the angularity ofthe axis to the arbor means positions the strip with the center of thewidth thereof in line with the processing line.
 6. Apparatus accordingto claim 1 wherein said arbor means has a generally polygonal outersurface and further comprising roll cluster means on saId polygonalouter surface to guide the strip around said outer surface of said arbormeans.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said generallypolygonal outer surface includes a plurality of flat planar surfaces, atleast one said roll cluster means being mounted on each said planarsurface to form a helical path for the strip.
 8. Apparatus according toclaim 6 wherein said generally polygonal outer surface includes at leastthirteen planar surfaces, a first of said planar surfaces receiving twoof said roll cluster means and the remaining of said planar surfacesreceiving one said roll cluster means, said roll cluster means beingmounted on said planar surfaces to define a helix starting with one ofsaid roll cluster means on said first of said planar surfaces and endingwith the other of said roll cluster means on said first of said planarsurfaces.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said roll clustermeans includes a plurality of rollers having an axis which is angular tothe axis of said arbor means.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 whereinthe angle of the axis of said arbor means with respect to the path ofthe strip material is such that the path of the strip material issubstantially perpendicular to the axis of said rollers.
 11. Apparatusaccording to claim 10 wherein said means to adjust the angularity of theaxis of the arbor means is capable of moving said axis from a firstangle to a second angle and the axis of said rollers with respect to theaxis of said arbor means is at a third angle lying between said firstand second angles.
 12. A take-out arbor for receiving strip material ina strip accumulator, comprising a body member, means to mount said bodymember on a pivot point, and means to pivot said body member on saidpivot point.
 13. A take-out arbor according to claim 12 furthercomprising roll cluster means mounted on said arbor body in a generallyhelical path to guide the strip material around said arbor body.
 14. Atake-out arbor according to claim 13 wherein said body member isgenerally cylindrical having an axis and a generally polygonal outersurface, and said roll cluster means includes a plurality of rollerseach having an axis which is angular to the axis of said body member.15. A method of accumulating strip material in an accumulator for use bya processing line which receives the strip material at a first referencepoint comprising the steps of, feeding the strip material to theaccumulator at a second reference point which is the same regardless ofthe width of the strip material, forming inner and outer convolutions ofthe strip material, and transferring the strip material from theconvolutions to the processing line at the first reference point.
 16. Amethod according to claim 15 wherein the first reference point is thecenter line of the width of the strip material and the second referencepoint is one edge of the strip material,
 17. A method according to claim15 wherein the accumulator includes a take-out arbor and the step oftransferring includes the step of moving the strip material around thearbor in a generally helical path to move the strip from the secondreference point to the first reference point.